This document provides a framework for the conservation of the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra in the UK for the next five years. It provides an approach within which organisations and individuals can utilise their resources efficiently and effectively, and allows both integration of work towards common objectives or development of individual programmes of work.

The Framework’s effectiveness relies on input from many individuals and organisations in both production and implementation. In particular, representatives from the following organisations have been involved in the preparation of this document: the Countryside Council for Wales, Department of the Environment, Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland), English Nature (now known as Natural England), Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland, Highways Agency, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology, Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Mammal Society, National Rivers Authority, The Otter Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage, Vincent Wildlife Trust, The Wildlife Trusts and scientific staff from the Universities of Aberdeen, Cardiff, Essex, Exeter and London. As well as the above, there are many other organisations involved in conservation and land management who have important roles to play in otter conservation.

The inclusion of organisational acronyms in the sections of ‘Action points’ does not commit these organisations to implementing those actions, nor does it represent a pre-contractual commitment by any organisation to resourcing the actions. It does, however, indicate those organisations with the appropriate remit for involvement in the implementation process.

The Framework is complementary to the Species Action Plan prepared for the otter under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan programme.  Both this Framework and the Species Action Plan should be reviewed in five years’ time (2000).